DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY 2019-20 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 
#6  "LADY HORNETS" (12-17; 8-8 MEAC) vs.
#3 MORGAN STATE "Lady Bears" (16-13; 12-4 MEAC)
MEAC Tournament - Semifinal                                         
Thur., Mar. 12, 2020 - 2:00 p.m.                                                                                                
Norfolk, Va. (Scope Arena  –  10,253)
 
Live Video: FloSports.com
Live Audio: HSRN.com
Live Stats:  MEACHoops.com
Twitter updates: @DSUwbb

DeIaware State Head Coach David Caputo (Montclair State, '05): 18-38 at DSU; 154-98 career (10th yr.); 2-1 vs. Morgan State;  13-19 MEAC regular season record; 0-1 MEAC Tournament
 
The Game
Delaware State (12-17; 8-8 MEAC) begins the 2019-20 MEAC Tournament against Morgan State. The sixth-seeded  Lady Hornets lost their last four regular season games to finish sixth in the final MEAC standings.  Despite the recent slide skid,  the Lady Hornets have topped their 2018-19 totals for overall wins (12) and MEAC victories (8). DSU also has four road victories this season after recording none during the 2018-19 campaign. For the season, guard Sha Collins (jr.), a 2019-20 All-MEAC Third Team selection, is the team's scoring leader at 11.9 points per game to rank 11th in the MEAC. Collins, a two-time MEAC Co-Player of the Week, also ranks among the league leaders in field goal percentage, assists, free throw percentage and steals,  Lyric Turner (jr.) is second on the Lady Hornets and 19th in the league in scoring at 10.3 points per game. Turner is also the top free throw shooter on the Lady Hornets with a .792 percentage and ranks fifth in the league in three-point field goals at 1.8 per game (53 total). Lanayjha  Ashe is DSU's No. 3 scorer at 9.3 points per game, tying for 23rd in the MEAC this season. She is also tied for ninth in the league in three-point shooting at 31.6%. Delaware State has lost seven straight MEAC Tournament games since a 55-44 victory over Bethune-Cookman in 2013.

Morgan State (16-13; 12-4 MEAC), the No. 3 seed, brings a  four-game win streak into the MEAC  Tournament, including a victory over DSU on Feb. 24. The Lady Bears closed out the regular season with a 73-55 home win against second place Norfolk State. Chelsea Mitchell led NSU with 25 points in the contest. A 2019-20 All-MEAC First Team selection, Mitchell was second in the MEAC in scoring (15.5 ppg) and tops in rebounding (9.7 pg) during the 2019-20 regular season. She combined for 42 points and 32 rebounds in the two regular season meetings against Delaware State. MSU's Dahnye Redd is eighth in the league in scoring at 13.0 points per game.        
 
DSU vs MSU Series History (DSU leads 42-38 all-time and 4-1 in MEAC Tourney meetings)
This will be the third meeting between the teams this season. The Hornets and Bears split two regular season contests, with each winning at home. Delaware State won the first 2019-20 meeting 69-61 in Dover, Del. The Lady Hornets trailed 7-0, but bounced back to lead 20-15 after the first quarter.  DSU won the second quarter 23-10 to hold a 43-25 lead at the half. Morgan State won the second meeting between the teams this season 61-41 in Baltimore, Md., handing the Lady Hornets their worst MEAC defeat of the season. Delaware State holds a 4-1 edge in MEAC Tournament meetings between the teams. The Lady Hornets defeated the Lady Bears 55-42 to capture the 2007 tournament championship, and won the last post-season meeting 67-49 in 2008. DSU was coached at the time by current Morgan State head coach Ed Davis. The winner of the DSU/Morgan State contest will take on either No. 2 seed Norfolk State in the semifinals on Fri. (Mar. 13) at 2:00 p.m.